Dear Mrs. Ryan, You're Ruining My Life

Grade 3-5-Harvey Ryan's divorced mom is not purposely ruining his life. It's just that she is a children's book author and her annual trips to school mortify him. If only she would stop revealing her inspiration for her writing (his mishaps). His best friend, Seal, suggests that his mother needs romance in her life, to take her mind off of her son. The children select their principal as a romantic target, but when their plan actually works, Harvey finds himself trying to sabotage the budding relationship. Subplots involving his efforts to secure his unreliable father (a former minor-league baseball player) as his baseball team's coach and confrontations with his archenemy, Bart, keep the pace moving. This lighthearted debut novel will engage and amuse reluctant readers as well as any child who sympathizes with Harvey's angst at being embarrassed by his mother. The adult characters are genuinely nice and it is a pleasure to read about an intelligent and caring principal. Only Harvey's father is a bit one-dimensional; but even he shapes up as the story's threads come together. Other titles for children having trouble accepting potential stepfathers are Anne Fine's My War with Goggle-Eyes (Joy Street, 1989; o.p.) and Mary Jane Auch's Mom Is Dating Weird Wayne (Holiday, 1988; o.p.).
Marilyn Payne Phillips, University City Public Library, MO
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